First drive: Volvo V60 Hybrid plug-in

At least two aspects of the innocuous-looking station wagon being driven at Volvo's test facility in Sweden reveal that this is no ordinary V60.

First, that in electric mode it is the strong, silent type; accelerating with a satisfying surge from low speeds with an eerie lack of noise apart from a not unpleasant turbine-like whine coming from the electric motor in the rear.

Second, that when the "power" button is pushed it turns easily from Dr Jeckyll to Mr Hyde as the combination of a throbbing 160kW five-cylinder diesel engine and the 50kW electric motor propel it with almost indecent haste for what is meant to be an enviro-friendly, low emissions vehicle.

Volvo claims the V60 plug-in hybrid, which should be on sale in Australia in 2013, will hit 100km/h from standstill in 6.9 seconds in full power mode.

In electric mode, it uses no fuel at all and will travel that way for 50km when fully charged – enough for 80 per cent of the world's motorists to accomplish their daily commuting, shopping or school-run duties, Volvo reckons.

In its third hybrid mode optimised for longer distances it could use as little as 1.9 L/100km and emit barely 49 grams of C02 every kilometre thanks to its big battery and frugal diesel engine.

Unless Peugeot beats Volvo to the punch with its 3008 Hybrid 4 this should be the world's first diesel-electric hybrid. As well as low fuel consumption and emissions, Volvo's aim was to produce a green car with high levels of practicality, drivability and safety.

It scores on the first front, differing little in terms of packaging and interior space over any other V60 wagon, apart from the floor of the luggage bay being raised a scant six centimetres to accommodate the lithium-ion battery pack that, Volvo says, should take 3.5 hours to charge in a home or office fitted with higher than normal 16 amp power.

There are no complaints about the V60 plug-in's performance either, despite it weighing around 300kg more than a comparable front-drive diesel thanks to the addition the battery pack and electric motor driving the rear axle.

Safety has been looked after in typically thorough Volvo fashion with a full regime of crash testing to ensure no rupturing of the battery pack in an accident, plus multiple safeguards against electrocution from the 400 volt electrical powertrain system.

The 2.4-litre diesel engine driving the front wheels is to be modified with a larger starter motor and (six-speed automatic) transmission oil pump to ensure seamless switching between electric and diesel power while on the move.

Unlike a conventional hybrid car such as the Toyota Prius, the V60 does this more often, travelling distances on purely electrical power thanks to its large battery that can be recharged on mains power.

Also unlike a Prius-type hybrid with its electric motor crammed into the engine bay, the V60's rear placement means a larger, more powerful motor has been fitted for better performance.

Volvo is even working on a smart-phone app so that owners can remotely activate their car's heating or air conditioning systems before unplugging the power, making for a comfortable initial driving environment while taking advantage of the external power source.

Despite the early prototypes Drive has sampled in Sweden being far from polished production versions, the automatic switch between propulsion systems indeed difficult to detect.

At highway speeds, wind and road noise are enough to make diesel or electric operating modes audibly interchangeable from the driver's seat unless the throttle is floored and the five-cylinder diesel starts to work hard.

With a diesel-powered front axle and electric operated rear it even works as a four wheel drive with a modicum of off-road ability thanks to a bevy of electronic systems that ensure both ends work in harmony.